Woven Rings Of Destiny ( Continuation of The Family)

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"It's simple Joseph.. some bad guys want this book for a spell to take over the world and such things.. and Lance is here to stop them.." My tone a little sarcastic but it was about as close to the truth as I could get.
"Oh, and if they get this book and all these items, they basicly can wipe our kind out. So we're getting ready to complete everything and destroy the book..." I paused, my eyes narrowing slightly, "But why she is here is still up in there air..." I stared hard at Erika waiting for her to say something in her defense.. hell just look at me but she wouldn't. Figures, she's a coward.
I pushed off from the wall and circled around the room, "And dear Lance here believes we need to cleanse ourselves..." I chuckled at that one.
I stopped and put my back into a new corner, crossed my ankles and arms and glanced at Lance, "About sums it up doesn't it?"
I turned back and looked over to where Joseph stood, his own face looking rather comical.
"Any more questions?"

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

Aria looked at him. He smiled softly at her as he looked into her eyes, then cleared his throat and got back to business. "If we're destroying the thing, why do we need to cleanse ourselves? And even if we do, why would we want to be cleansed by Lance, who, may I remind you, is completely insane?"

He looked over to Lance. "Take full offense to that. Please." He turned back to Aria, and took a few steps towards her as he waited for a response from the others. He wanted to get closer to her, but decided to take things slow. At least for now. Things were very odd at the moment.

 

[Shoty98]

Maggie

More than confused I was angry as some strange man stepped up to me and kissed me. If it hadn't have been for Micheal in the room I would have punched the poor guy, knocked his teeth out. Just who he thought he was was beyond me.
I sat there beside Ray, a little fuming and thinking of why this guy I don't know would kiss me like he knew me? It was all a big mystery to me.
The conversation was intriguing to say the least, smoke and mirrors, ooga booga type stuff. If it were not for the rumbling in my stomach and the little voice I kept hearing in my head I would have laughed.
That was until I looked at Erika once more.
What in gods name was she doing here and why hadn't somebody taken off her head? I was getting angry, between the situation now and the little voice that kept sounding out in my head. And it wasn't Ray.
Ha ha ha...It'll take more than just cleansed souls to defeat what is yet to come. And you my dear Maggie have a bit to learn....
The laugh was soft and the words even softer. I looked around the room. Nobody looked as though they had heard anything, so I shook my head and continued to half listen to the conversation and half listen for the voice to come back.
I felt a cold chill run down my spine, as though someone had opened a window nearby.
Why don't you just stand up and say what you feel for once in you life Maggie. Don't let your voice go unheard just because you think it is right, be tough, live a little...
Her voice contiuned like a record playing continuously in my mind. I felt more irretable by the moment, not knowing what was going on within me and around me. Rising to my feet I took a long drawn breath and seized the moment of silence.
"We are still listening to him Joseph, because nobody has stopped him from speaking. As for her..." I pointed at Erika "Who the fuck cares why she is here, from the look of her reasoning has finally chisled it's way through and she realises that she cannot bully about to get what she wants when she wants it. By the way Erika I see you have now found everyone you were looking for. Oh my and all together in one room.
Well I hope you have enjoyed this reunion, for I may just seriously hurt this Lance character for that kiss. And you I liked to.....well I'll not disclose what I would like to do to you, for what you have done to my family....."
My words trailed off as my vision blurred over, something began to appear through the haze, an emblem of some sort. I had never seen anything like it before, the sight of it alone took my breath away.
In the center a circle began to form, it was hard to make out at first, but as the moments passed it got clearer and clearer. The circle was made up of smaller circles, rings, one overlapping another.
Without much concious thought I moved to the other side of Ray and perched myself on the edge of the couch. The book sat in front of me but I didn't really see it, beyond the imaginary scene. Carefully I reached out and picked up the rings, my fingers working quickly to detach each piece for the puzzle.
I began placing each ring in it's designated spot, largest to smallest, one over another until they all lay in the same circle.
As I finished the haze seem to clear from my mind and I was back in reality, gasping softly as time seemed to be missing from my mind and then again not really.....

 

[poohlive]

They were still bickering. He thought there was enough time left, but he had been wrong. They still cared about little details, still hooked onto the old emotions and feelings for this. They didn't want to be a team, they didn't want to stick together with this thing, instead, they felt content in making small arguments and cute little gestures.
He wished he had more time, he wished he could make them see.
Perhaps the first part of the spell. It would help, but not enough. He knew it wouldn't be enough, it was never enough before.
"I'm sorry you feel that way," he spoke, looking at them all, "I only want to help. I never claimed to say anything but the truth. Take what you want from me though, you can choose to believe what you want."
He thanked Maggie for opening the book. Carefully, he leafed through the pages, each new and vibrant, a life spilling from them that had not been there before. The magic had returned to it, and it was grateful. From time to time small puffs of purple smoke blue up when he turned a page.
A sign of promise.
The last page, the last complete page of the book was there, and the words now facing him. They were in old english, as he knew they would be. It was a hard language to understand, middle english most of them might have picked out words and phrases, but old english was as foreign as Latin.
"Baen gammman, han tolken to."
May the circle complete itself.
The translation was more like May the circle be complete, but it wasn't as if it made much difference.
"The amulet first," he picked it up, alking over to Michael, "Pure blood goes to pure blood. He is the only one who has yet to be untainted, and for that reason alone he carried the blood bond."
He held out Michael's hand, and placed the amulet on it. As the skin touched, it disappeared, melting into his hand. The child seemed to feel as if this tickled and let out a little laugh. Lance smiled back.
"Fuirn blard koot meytan."
The blood will be kept clean.
Again, it was more like the blood will clean itself. Old english had a few translations to regular english, especially since the introduction of more latin words, and less germanic. Like anyone really cared.
"The rings second, to the five who create the circle."
He closed the book, taking each out of their appointed spot. He placed them around the book in a wide circle. They seemed brighter than before, more alive as well. The magic was within them.
"Aria for courage," as he spoke, one of the rings dissapread from the circle and appeared on her finger.
"Ray for strength," another ring to appear on his finger.
"Maggie for wisdom," another one.
"Erika for sacrifice," and another.
"And Joseph for cunning," the last now set upon the bonded.
"Dertainun, hakit mori toohabin."
The end, as is the beginning. A fancy phrase for the circle of rings. An ancient phrase that was used when the old code was still around. That left this earth a long time ago. He still wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing.
"The final piece," he stared now at the book. He bet money that it stared back at him, looked at him, waited for him to complete it all. Lance understood this, the book was huyngry, and hadn't been bonded too for hundreds of years. It wanted this as much as he did.
For different resons of course.
"The book," he held his hand over the emblem on the cover, hovering a few inches above.
"Bauk fir mentaor u blard enem mae."
The book to bone and blood in me.
Bright sparks came from the ancient script, fire sending out to consume him. He sunk his hand into the book. Canvas and paper seemed to move aside as he dipped into the book. For a moment it appeared to swim inside the pages that had caused this plane of existence so much grief.
It tore at him, threated to bring him in, but he held his ground. Biting his lower lip he held his hand against the doorway that threatened to consume him. He would wear the mark, he would cleanse the pages, he alone had to....
A cold shiver ran down his spine as it began. Ink and paper climbing through his skin, melding with his veins, wrapping themselves around his bones. He let out a soft cry of pain, feeling it live and thrive inside him.
Worlds trembled as the spell took effect.
Then it was over. The book was no longer on the table. He could feel it within him now, the words, the phrases, the spells coursed through his veins as blood did.
His hand held the scar now, the emblem that was on the book was now embedded inside his hand. An ancient mark that would link him up to the pages. He could feel it now, the weakening of himself.
He was the bookbearer.
"The rings," his headache was ten times worse now, but he endured it, he had to, "Among other things wil help you deter magic. Each one is different, and I know not their full powers, but I hope you find out."
Each had their own tasks to do now. The magic that swirled throughout them all at this point. It was no longer a sword or a book, but it was between them, dancing as a kid might in a candy store.
"It is finished," he said, more to himself than others. He was weak, weaker than he ever had been before. Strength failing him as he did so. It hurt to even stay standing, so he chose a chair most comfortable and set himself down. Wafts of hair crossed his visions, as he moved them away he could feel his entire body tingle. Every inch of him held the electricity of excitement.
The beginning of the end.
Things were happening now, and at least for that he was grateful.
The book, now inside him, didn't seem to agree.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I watched in silence as all this took place a little confused and not too happy with the ending results. It tooka while before anyone even moved, even Erika sat there in stunned silence. That had to be the most weirdest thing I had ever seen!
I moved around the room, looking at the ring on my finger, wondering what the fuck just happened!? I hated surprises and I was sorely tempted to kick his tired weary ass from here to the ends of the earth and back!
"Well... Seems to me someone forgot to mention some minor little details, but since I am in charge here, I am setting down the rules right now. Argue with me at your own personal safety.." I was deadly in tone of voice, not liking this one bit. He purposely kept things for me, another reason not to trust him wholely.
"All seven of us remain together. No if's and's, or but's about it." I eyed Erika, lucky bitch. "Hunt together, travel together, no. we won't be sleeping together, get that off your mind Ray." I chuckled, he did have a twisted sense of humor.
"Anyone breaking that rule and putting all of us in danger will be dealt with in a harshest ways imaginable." I stood there, shaking with my anger at Lance. How could he be so thoughtless as to say nothing of this until now!?
"You." I looked at Lance. "You best be able to reproduce that book when the timing is right. And I don't care who think's they are stronger than me, I am not letting this slide or You lance out of my sight." I turned back to the door, righted it and bolted it shut.
"Erika, since you are part of this, and we can't really decaptitate you right now.. you get the downstairs bedrooms, No one is to harm her.. Apparently we need her to end this. If it wasn't for my son, I would walk away right now.." I fell silent once more.
"Lance there is a room upstairs between Joseph's room and my own, you'll take that one. Ray and Maggie take the room downstairs to watch our little guest. We'll be moving to a new location tomorrow, best get some sleep. I want this over with so we can all go back to our lives." I felt Ray's tension and knew his thoughts.
"Ray, don't." I looked him square in the eyes and shook my head no. He was not to take revenge on Joseph, he didn't know the whole story just yet. My mind touched his and I warned him against harming Lance, Erika or Joseph.
"You don't like my authority, I can feel it from all of you, but whether we like it or not, we're in this until the end.. Which I hope is soon. We have everything but the Altar. Ray.. that is your part in this if I recall right. You need to see what you can do to getting us there? Alright? Everything clear?" I didn't even wait for arguements. Though I was tempted to stick Lance with the witch, I changed my mind. They can fuck somewhere else, I didn't give a shit, but that book was to remain close. Which means, Lance had to remain close.
"Go to bed guy's and we'll see what we can do in the morning by putting our heads together." I walked a wide berth around Joseph, still unable to be near him and knelt down beside Lance.
"What do you need to be stronger? We can't have you weak right now?"

 

[Sweetp4u]

Erika

The ring slid onto my finger from no where and with it came the feeling of being something, being someon important and feeling a warmth giving love well up inside.
I couldn't speak, I could barely think as I felt like smiling an honest open friendly smile for the first time in my vampire life! I listened with half and ear to Aria's rampage, but it did not matter. When the time came, love would heal all inside her and make her feel as I did.
I stood up without a word and walked down the hallway to a room. Walking inside I sat down on the bed and stared at my hand with the ring on it. It glowed faintly, a soft ember light that just made me feel so many things all at once.
This was what it was like to feel cleasned, I had only wished I had thought to thank Lance for this before going to bed. But there was plenty of time tomorrow. I sat in silence, no longer worried or hurting, but content for the first time in a long while. Even Lance's healing was nothing compared to this. Though he was strong I was deeply troubled. He started it for me and I would be enternally grateful to him for that too.. But this ring, it took allllll of it away!
It was awesome, inspiring and better than any lover could make me feel. I was whole again... I was nothing more than Erika Robards.. And I LOVED it!

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

Joseph frowned. This was not good. He watched Aria, and remembered to ask her to give him his sword tomorrow, if she had it. He watched her talk to Lance, planning to spend the rest of the night outside her door. He not only didn't trust Lance, he didn't beleive him. He might be willing to go through with this, but not with Lance in the lead.

Aria he might follow. She had determination, and he trusted her. Not only did he trust her, he loved her. She might be young and not as well-informed and some other people might be, but he knew they could lead them farther.

 

[poohlive]

Lance let his hand pass through his hair, sending locks in a million different directions. They each went somewhere different, but his hair was still the same. A black mane that poured from atop of him.
"I'm fine," he took in a deep breath, "I just needed a minute to relax."
He tried to stand up, but as he did so, his knees buckled under him, and he went falling back into the chair. He was winded, literally winded. Exhausted from attempting to get up from the chair. He felt so old.
He was only 762, my how the time flies.
"I guess not," he gave a tiny chuckle, his muscles strained against him. He felt as if he were still struggling, still fighting against something inside him. The book was there, feeding off of him, trying to consume him. It took nearly all of his strength just to keep it away, no wonder he was so tired.
Another strain, wonderful.
"I guess I could use a drink."
He caught her hand as she attempted to move, shaking his head.
"Not that kind."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

He stood and fell, his weakened condition evident. I said nothing, merely watched until he too admitted it. I remained next to the chair and he smirked a little, "I guess I could use a drink."
I moved to rise and fetch something from the fridge when his hand stopped me.
"Not that kind." His eyes boaring into my own.
"Oh." It should have dawned on me that was what he needed but truth was I was tired and worn out. And frankly couldn't read minds.
I smiled a little, I knew I was edgy for no reason but out of self protectiveness. I paused, knowing the only one who would feed him in the room was myself since Erika had gone to the assigned room.
"Here.. Take some of mine." I almost offered my neck, but I did not want to get that close to a man, any man right now, so instead I profered up my wrist.
"It's alright, go ahead." I knew his thoughts without reading them, why would I help him after being such a wench?
"You need it, I can give it.. I need you whole too." I spoke softly, moving my wrist a little in offering.

 

[poohlive]

Beggars couldn't be choosers.
He leaned forward, just enough where he felt comfortable, and took her hand in his own. Her soft creamy skin felt good in his hands, but that was probably because everything felt different now. It wasn't a new feeling, but it was different than before.
It felt as if he had been taken gloves off, and was really feelings things for the first time.
He bent down, biting into the vein and drinking deeply.
One gulp, two.
The warmth spread throughout him, trickling down his throat. It replenished him, flooded through him like a wave. A warm wave passed him, and comforted him.
All of a sudden he stopped. The taste bitter in his mouth. He shied away from her, letting her go her wrist. The blood now cold and tainted in his mouth, he spit it up, unable to even keep it inside his mouth. Red droplets flied to the floor, as he moved back.
It was with such strength that he even moved the chair under him, it screeched across the floor, and then tipped, sending him crashing to the floor.
He laid there, unable to move, convulsing, trying to spit it out.
It came, it all came, thunder clouding him, covering him over.
Lance screamed, unable to hold it inside. His eyes were shut tight as he screamed, unable tot ake the pain. It all flodded through him.
The book, the book took hold of this, it grabbed it inside of him.
Something moved, a great lunge from within.
"No," he whimpered, "No...."
When he opened his eyes, he couldn't see. The light never came to him, never registered within him.
The page, out of all the chaos that came through to him, the only hard fact that he held onto, the only thing he could make sense from anything swam to him.
"You kept it safe," he said, blood dripping off his stained lips, "Keep it safe, no one else should know."
He doubled over, holding onto his stomach. The blood in him, now taking control, shooting pain throughout his body. He held onto it though, tried to control it, focus it. It was harder at first, cause it all came at once, but he could help it now.
He could take it in, some of it.
"I think," his voice sounded from far away, "I think I've had enough excitement for the day."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I felt him bite and drink, once twice and then stop. Surely that wasn't enough was it?
His reaction startled me so greatly I felt stunned as he shoved himself across the room!? Spitting out the blood as if it was tainted some how? I put my wrist to my mouth, licking the wounds clean, the pain showing in my eyes at his strange behavior?
I tasted nothing different? The scream that came from his throat was so horrible in sound, I could feel my own throat well up and nearly shut with it. I shuddered deeply, visibly shaken at his reactions to a simple offer? He mentioned the page, Oh lord he knew?! I had forgotten one tiny little detail in all of this.. memories transfered with feedings.. Too stunned to speak, to ashamed to do much other than shrug hopelessly.
"I..... I'm going to bed.. Good night.." I felt a tear fall at the slight, perhaps I was over reacting to what had just happened but it still stung me he would do that to me and for what reason?
Perhaps it was something else? I walked swiftly past Joseph, Maggie and Ray.
"Do not harm them.. good night everyone." I said over my shoulder as I climbed the stairs and walked straight into my room. Shutting and bolting the door, I shut off the light to where only the faint lamp glowed in the corner by my bed.
The tears fell and with it came the anguish, hurt and again rejection. I tugged at my hand, the same hand that he bit into held the ring. It had to be the ring? I shook with so many emotions, i couldn't stop the hurt from welling up and as the ring pulled free of my fingers, I felt like a ton of bricks had hit me.
I fell onto the bed, burying my face into the pillow, sobs wracking my small frame. I could not take much more, I knew I was breaking and breaking fast!
The visions returned full force, the pain and humiliation of it all. It all flooded in on me and I could not stop the tears and soul deep pain that came with it.

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

He followed after Aria at a safe distance, not looking at anyone else. He waited for her to go into her room, and sat down on the foor next to it, pressing his back against the hard wall and folding his legs under himself. He lowered his head slightly, but didn't close his eyes.

He sat, a state of awareness during rest, and he waited. And he guarded. Guarded as he had for over a millenia. Protecting, guarding, and hurting. He kept his distance, to let he heal, but stayed no farther away than was needed. He would watch over her now. No one would touch her.

He would not let her get hurt again. Not until he was dead and buried.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I slept like shit and felt like hell as I woke up the next morning. Groaning, I rolled to my back and stretched. Still feeling horrible and frankly rather bitchy, I laid there for awhile listening to the sounds of Joseph breathing outside my bedroom door.
I knew he would watch over me, always wanting to protect me from harm. But who was going to protect him from me? I was on a spirally path down into the darkest of pits, and frankly did not see any light of day up ahead.
Shaking it off, or at least trying to, I rose from my bed and walked slowly into the bathroom. I still could feel the blade and see the shocked face of Ray in my mind. And I could also feel myself welling up more and more, but when would I blow? I kept thinking I wouldn't I could contain it inside and be alright in the end. But the anger was driving me into a cold bitch!
I turned on the shower, smirking a little at that. A cold bitch.. Truth hurt, best no one else point it out though. Perhaps training with Maggie for a little while might help some? I sighed, closing my eyes and stepping into the shower.
The tears just didn't seem to stop flowing lately. Vampire pms? I tried to laugh but couldn't. Nothing was helping me cheer up. I guess time would heal, or something wonderous might happen to help. I doubted all of that, and knew soon I would have to deal with my own demons.
Dressing in a flexible tight body suit, I pulled my hair back into a pony tail. Glancing into the mirror I could tell I looked like death warmed over. Pale features, dark circles and red eyes. All well, so be it, fucking life bites sometimes!
I glanced down at the ring, picked it up and put it into my pocket. Straightening up a little, I walked to the door and opened it. Joseph was there, "Good morning." I tried to smile but it felt too false to do so I gave it up.
"Going to see if Maggie wants to train a little.. Feel like watching come on down?" I rested my hand on his shoulder a moment, giving him a gentle squeeze before walking downstairs to locate Maggie.

 

[poohlive]

The pool of blood had continued at the corner of his mouth, small drips trickling down between parched lips. It was a steady drone, steady enough for anyone to see that it hadn't been from his last feed. He was bleeding, and he wasn't stopping.
Lance layed on the floor, his legs crossed over each other, a harrowing painful stance for one to fall asleep to, and yet that was what he did. Eyes flickered against the dust that had collected on the floor, some fragment of a dream coming to him which he did not understand....
And yet he did.
IT was forgotten though, as foreign and as familiar as it was, it had been lost to him and this part did not help him to remember, in fact, it only helped him to forget. To send off the last fragment of himself to something higher that would keep it from him.
His breathing was slow and ragged. Each time he took in a breath, his chest heaved off of the floorboard, only to return a moment later. The blood had begun to ooze around, cause of the air that he exhaled out, and was creating a nice little pool by now.
He felt nothing, he remembered nothing, he was being lost in his own dream of rememberance. The pain from outside and within both torrented and swam around inside, like children running after school, but his mind had given him leave of that for a moment.
"On," he whispered, caked blood flecking off of his lips as he spoke, "It feels so much better when it's on."
The words were nothing of the dream though, they did not match. In the same way as the alieness though, it did match, it matched perfectly. A white elephant in a crowded room of monkeys that for some reason made more sense than anything he had ever known.
He only stopped breathing once, for a moment. A single lifetime of innocence in which his entire body ached, screamed for the precious oxygen. The vampire always craved that, more than blood, more than death, and more than carnage. Oxygen was their true hunger, their true quest in the pursuit of the undead.
He must never forget this.
And yet, as those words come through his brain, he has already forgotten. In a heaved breath, one that practically launched him from the parlor floor, he took in life, fueled the hunger that thrived throughout his cold veins.
Lance shuddered, and dreamed no more. He slept on.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Erika

The dreams haunted me all night long. Images swam before my eyes, teasing and taunting my mind. Like a boring oldd ercord, it played over and over again.
Him kneeling, head bent, shame on his face. The sword raised and brought down, and with one swing, the future secured. Oddly enough I didn't feel anything from that moment in my dream. I felt no pain, no regret, no hurt or loss. I felt nothing.
Strange but it was true. And when I awoke that next morning, I knew where I had to go.
I needed to go, fulfill my quest before moving to the altar. The sword was in my car with my things, that was all I needed to know. Rising from the bed, I dressed and made my way out into the living room. I noticed Lance laying on the floor, and thought to go to him and aid him in some fashion, but that was not my place.
I grabbed my coat, crept outside and started my car. I should have left a note I guessed for someone to know where I went. Aria would be fuming in a few hours when she found out I had disobeyed her orders and left. I honestly did not have time though to conjole a tramatized woman into letting me pee alone! Smirking a little at that thought, I drove off into the city.
So many things to do, and so little time to do them.......
And how I got mixed up in this??? *shrugs*

 

[Shoty98]

Maggie

I had left the room after Aria's speech, the last thing I really wanted to do was be in the same house as Erika or this Lance guy. I didn't know him and I hated her for what she had done.
Scooping up Michael I took him to bed and gathered Ray and I's things from our room upstairs. It took but a few minutes and I was laying in bed wondering if Ray was coming or not.
At some point I had fallen asleep, restless as it was it was still sleep. I dreamt of things I had never dreamt before, of a quest similar to this one, of a woman who reminded me much of Aria.
I didn't know where any of this came from but for some reason I held the information in my subconcious and was thinking about it when I awaoke sometime the next morning.
There was a spring in my step as I dressed in some sweats, a tank top and slipped into my socks and shoes, the training room my destination. I sighed as I looked in the mirror and puled my hair back.."Could I possibly use what I saw?" The question continued to run through my head as I finished up and left the room quietly.
The house was quiet as I made my way along the hallway and soon I found I had run into Aria. "Hey hun...how ya feelin this morning.. " I paused and looked at her she didn't look so good at all. Maybe it was just lack of sleep, lord knew there was alot of that going around.
"Up for another round in the training room?" I questioned as I moved toward the training room. I thought it would be hard to walk in there after what had happened but I found it fairly easy, with the help of something that is....

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

He got up, wordlessly, a small smile on his face at the sight of her, and he followed a few feet behind her. It wasn't until they got downstairs that he looked away, glancing at the lump on the ground for a moment before his eyes returned to Aria.

He wondered whether he should ask her about his sword, but pushed it from his mind. Oddly enough, that night he had remembered in a dream the day he'd gotten that weapon.

 

[The GrandMage]

Vladamir Trepes

His eyes opened slowly. He'd been awake for about two days now. Bleeding small creatures. His eyes were bright, staring out at the woods from his small cave, his feet in the small river that rushed by. He was calm. Over the years, he'd been in such a frenzy, he'd lost himself, lost his sanity.

But now, he was himself again. He sighed, relaxed. He turned his head, caught by a sudden thought. "I wonder,....how are you, Erika? How deep did you go into my insanity? And whatever have I done to you, my comrade?"

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I knew Maggie was right, I did look like hell but there wasn't much I could do about it at this point.
"Yeah.. I see you are ready to train some more.. Let's go." I walked through the hall way and to the stairs, moving quickly and quietly. I needed to exercise off some tensions. Maggie always proved to be good at that.
"Ray sleeping still?" I knew the answer but small talk helped me keep sane.
"Lance asleep?" Did she even know who lance was? I didn't think so but random thoughts kept entering my mind.
"I invited Joseph down to help with training you.." Another boring pointless fact, but as I said, it kept me sane.
I walked into the training room and hit the lights. It was a little cold down here but that was alright.. We would be sweating soon enough.
Taking my stance I began to stretch out. My eyes closed and my mind on a million other things.. Anything but reality was nice right about now.
"How did you know how to open the book Maggie?" I opened my eyes and looked at her. That was something I wanted to ask since she did it last night. If it wasnt for the fact of lance freaking out like that I might have stayed and asked her.
I spotted Joseph sitting in the corner, as usual watching me. I didn't know if I should be annoyed or feel safe? He was doing what he always did, protect those he loves. Why was it bothering me? I had to do something to get back to myself. .. Before everyone around me suffered terribly.
Perhaps I should take Michael after this and take a vacation? Who knows, perhaps some where alone would be best. I was stretched out and ready but still I kept stretching, thinking, pushing things aside and basicly avoiding whatever didn't sit well with me.
"alright, I think I am ready...." I took my stance as she finished up her stretching and waited for an attack.

 

[poohlive]

Somewhere deep, a falling sensation. Wind whipping past his air as he felt only gravity pulling him ever closer. The ground swelled up beneath his very eyes, and he screamed for it to stop.
Feet touched the ground, but it did not end the terror inside him, it only grew.
He was being held, his arms, someone was holding him. The word came to him without bother to turn around, Joseph held him. Joseph's arms were clutching tight onto his own.
Lance screamed to get away, but couldn't, he fell down to his knees, trying to run, trying to end it all, but Joseph held him close, breathed into his neck, filled his nostrils with a hot putrid scent of sex.
Across from him stood Erika. He could see her, he cried out to her for help, but she just stood there, smiling, a knife in her hand.
She pointed down to his stomach, when he looked, he found she had cut him. Before his very eyes guts and endtrails fell out of his body and dropped on the floor. Instead of blood coming out all around, there was black pus and hundreds of maggots that came out before him. He couldn't help but throw up as he watched this, but his puke was nothing more than an endless flight of maggots and more of that strange black liquid.
Somewhere above them, the moon was smiling down.
Joseph held him tight, pain now ripping through him. Why couldn't he get away, why couldn't he leave?
"Erika," he called, but she only laughed, holding the bloody knife that had done it's deed, holding it close to her body, kissing it's lengthy blade and talking to it.
It had hurt him, it had cut through him, made him lose a part of himself. Down at the maggot and black encrusted pile of guts, he felt a deep loss, a deep wandering that he wanted back so desperately.
He cried out, unsure quite why, "Give me back the knife, I want it!!!"
Erika only held it out, taunting, bringing it back to her and kissing it tenderly. If he had the knife, if he could hold it, he could put himself together again, make himself whole.
"GIVE ME THE FUCKING KNIFE!!!!"
"We aren't done just yet lover," Joseph's hot breath coming down his neck. It send an ugly shiver up his spine, not necessarily the words, but the way he said it. Not bothering with Erika's magical knife, he tried to get himself loose once again, but the struggle only made Joseph squeeze against him harder.
He wanted to run, to fight, to do something other than be held her unable to do anything.
Something pressed up against him.
"No," he cried, once again straining against his death hold, "NO!!!"
"I love it when you struggle."
He felt something warm, something hot. He screamed, but it only seemed to accent the pain. A horrible griding sound, his teeth against each other, trying to do something to stop from the pain.
Blood now spilled on the ground, bright red, shiny. It came out in drops from behind him.
He felt it, from the pain, the release of blood from the pain Joseph gave him. A horrible grinding sound, he wanted it to stop.
"Let go," he was pleading now, more than anything else. His strain was weak, his heart weak. The blood that flowed between his legs was much more than blood, it was a life force, a point of strength and determination he could draw from, but it was spilling, running down his legs as Joseph raped him.
"Stop... stop."
And he was gone. Everything was gone. It all vanished and Lance was left alone, leaning against an altar which held the book.
Across from the room was Aria, cocking her head at him.
"Something wrong baby, can't take it?"
"Aria," he was so relieved to see her, "What's going on, where are we?"
Aria walked over to him, dropping down to a knee, "We aren't anywhere, you are simply having a dream, and from the sounds of it, I am in the training room."
He looked at her, aghasted, "What?"
"Sorry sweety, it's not me. I'm you, Lance, just a representation in your dream, here to, pun intended, wake you up."
Lance's face turned from relief to anger, "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"You stupid son of a bitch," her eyes boiled with anger, "You still don't get any of it do you? After all of this, after all of the sacrifice, you just don't understand what you are doing to everyone else."
Lance stood back at this a moment, surprised by her attack. He was frozen next to her, as she looked down on him, looked down at where he was.
"I can't believe you even lasted this long. If the book hadn't kept bringing your ass back, you would have been out of here a long time ago."
He boiled back," Fuck you Aria. You know, I've been trying to help with everyone, and they are all turning away from me, even you. So don't get all high and mighty with me, you stupid bitch."
She slapped him.
Although, it didn't feel like a slap. It felt like a truck had just hit him. His face was bright red, and seemed to scream out from the pain she caused. He brought a hand to it, rubbing with a gentle ease.
"I'm only going to tell you this once Lance. If you don't get yourself straightened out right now, you'll find that you will be all alone on this quest. You will have driven away the only people who can save your sorry ass, and everyone else from the shit that is gathering."
"Aria..." he tried to gather his thoughts, tried to give her some sort of argument to tell her that he was right and she was wrong, but he couldn't. He wanted to tell her off, but the words failed him.
"I'm trying to show them the truth," was all he could say.
"No, you are being a stupid son of a bitch. Running around with your fucking theories and your ultimatums. You aren't showing them the truth, you are stuffing it down their throats, and expecting them to ask for more. It's sickening, and what's worse, you think they are wrong when they don't agree with you."
"Aria, you aren't...."
"I can see just fine. I know your right, and I think everyne else does too, but you are doing it all wrong, you aren't explaining anything, and you keep trying to do your own little tricks to satisfy everyone. It isn't working, and if you think you can keep it up, I will kick your own ass myself."
"What about you? Huh? Before I even showed you any of this, you were the one yelling at me and accusing things, why the fuck are you...."
Another slap, the other side of the cheek. It burned just as hard as the last one.
"You want to go through it again?" she poined across from her, where Joseph stood in a pool of light, a sick hungry look on his face.
"I'll let you go through it again sweety, he can rape you over and over until you understand what I've been through. His dick will be fucking your brains before he is done, slicing you in two. Do you want that? You want it to relive inside your own thoughts."
"No, no, no, I don't," he shied away from the image of Joseph, "Please."
"Good, now listen very carefully, we have some things we need to discuss."
This time, Lance listened carefully.

 

[nightray]

Ray

I let my eyes open slowly as I feel Maggie slip out of the door in to the hall. I let my mind fallow her down the stars in to the training room where she and Aria begin to practus there blade work. I lay there quietly for a bit trying to sort things out but the presents of Joseph and Erica are to distracting I keep wanting to go and kill them for what they did.

I quietly slip out of bed getting direst not bothering with a shower not wanting anyone to know I’m awake. I move to the window opining it and slipping out shielding my mined slightly so they can't tell that I’m alive but they won’t be able to trace me until I’m reedy to be fond.

I land on the ally below quietly and smoothly not making a sound as I trot in to the darker shadows away from the house. I have much to think about and I don’t think I could stay in the house with out killing Erica or Joseph for what they have down. I still don’t know why Aria tolled me not to do anything to them.

I begin to run know burning of energy letting my mined go blank letting the feel of the wind hitting my face relax me as the buildings around me tern in to a blear. I easily dodge people the only thing giving me away to them is a breeze of air as I move past. I jump over cars and trucks as they get in my way.

I stop at the base of the iffeltower looking up at it for a few minutes before moving to one of the elevators. I lean agent one wall watching waiting for the elevator to stop at the top. I step out looking out over the city below. I move to the railing away from the theorists my eyes moving over the view as I try to sort what happened the last few hours out in my head.

 

[Shoty98]

Maggie

I raised an eyebrow at Aria as I stretched out and got ready to spar a little. What was making her ask these questions...questions she already knew the answers to.
"I'll tell you how I opened the book if at some point you will tell me what's eating you. You have been acting very strange since last night."
I sighed softly and stretched one last time. "Ready?" I didn't have to ask she had already taken her stance and was poised for an attack.
Images flashed through my head and I began following them, first stepping forward and kicking out at Aria, she countered and on went a struggle of blows, a fight to see who could find a weak spot first.
"The book thing was kind of weird. It was a vision of some sort, like I was looking through the eyes of someone else. And as the person in the daydream, I guess you could call it, untwined the rings and placed them in the book I felt the need to do the same. It really was the weirdest feeling Aria...." I spoke through panting breaths as we continued to spar and landed a kick to her shoulder, but I think she saw that one coming because I was, in seconds, lying on the floor looking up at her.
I grinned broadly at her, a chuckle escaping my lips..."I think I am improving...twelve minutes before you found a weakness?" I winked at her and jumped to my feet, taking a defensive stance. "Alright missy fallin' on my ass didn't get you to smile, what's it gonna take?" There was a mock seriousness to my voice as I flashed my goofiest grin...

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"damn Mag's! What the hell?!" I was panting for air, how did she improve over night!?
"Damn who's been training you behind my back?" I gave a wink a small smile escaping through the troubled thoughts in my mind. She jumped up and readied herself and again we went at it. Neither really able to penetrate the other's defense. After another fifteen minutes, she caught me unawares and down I went on my ass.
I lay there panting, then started laughing. "Damn! You are kickin my ass!" I jumped up and bent over, placing my hands on knees to catch my breath. I wiped away some sweat from my eyes and groaned.
"I am getting too old for this..... Nothing is bothering me.." I got a serious look on my face for a moment, pushing it down as best I could I tried to concentrate on training and went back at it. She was improving minute by minute and four more times I went down.

 

[Shoty98]

Maggie

"Your a horrible liar Aria..you always have been." I grunted as we went at it once more I was able to take her down a few more times and she was able to do the same.
I was begining to wonder though if what was bothering her was interfearing with our training session today.
I stopped for a moment and tried to catch my breath, my heart was racing a mile a minute. I could hardly believe that those moves had come from me, that whatever that force was could have such and impact on me.
"Aria are you sure you want to continue? You just don't seem like your quite here. Maybe we should go make some breakfast......got anything in this place or do we need to go to the store?"
I left the choice up to her I felt like a million bucks right now, I could do this for a while.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"You're right, Mag's.. My mind isn't into it right at the moment. perhaps something to eat would help?" I stood up, holding out my hand to tug her along with me, some of me was returning. I pulled down my shirt to make sure my healing stomach wasn't visible nor the ugly red mark from the knife.
"Shall we?" I headed up the stairs and towards the kitchen, "I don't know what is in here to eat, I didn't really check.... What sounds good?" I brushed off her worry, pretend nothing is wrong and everything will be alright.
I paused in the living room, Lance still laying on the floor. Alright was this some weird yoga thing? I moved towards him, "Lance you alright?" I bent down, feeling his forehead a moment. I glanced up at Maggie, her eyes clouded as well.
"He needs something to eat as well, I dont think whatever that book did to him was pleasant." I checked him again to see if he was coherant but I didn't see anything. I was beginning to worry as to why he wasn't snapping out of it?